Welcome to Rome! At 5 pm, join your Tour Director and traveling companions, and leave the hotel for a special welcome dinner with wine at one of Rome’s lively restaurants. (Dinner)

DAY 2 Rome–Narni–Spoleto

Your discovery of the green province of Umbria, made famous by the movie My House in Umbria with unforgettable Maggie Smith, starts in the hilltop town of Narni, almost 800 feet high. Narni is the town that is said to have been the inspiration for the Chronicles of Narnia. Enjoy a guided visit of the CONVENT OF SAN DOMENICO basement, and see a cell where prisoners of the Inquisition wrote graffiti on the walls. Then, a true highlight: [Lark Tours Local Favorite] [Globus Local Favorite] learn the art of homemade Manfricolo pasta from a chef during a PASTA DEMONSTRATION, and, of course, enjoy lunch afterwards. Next is Spoleto, a former Roman city and capital of an important Lombard duchy from the 6th to the 8th centuries. During your walking tour with a Local Guide, take pictures of La Rocca, the former papal fortress that was used as a high-security prison until 1982; admire the Ponte delle Torri, erected on the foundations of a Roman aqueduct; and visit PIAZZA DEL DUOMO. This evening, a special dinner with wine awaits you at Vecchio Camino restaurant. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 3 Spoleto–Frantoio di Spello–Assisi–San Martino in Campo

[Globus Local Favorite] [Globus Local Favorite] Enjoy an OLIVE OIL TASTING at an authentic oil mill at Frantoio di Spello. Continue to Assisi and start your guided walking tour with visits to ST. CLARE’S CHURCH and ST. FRANCIS’ BASILICA, the hub of a religious order devoted to the ideals of humility, forgiveness, simplicity, and love for all God’s creatures. Arrive at your hotel in San Martino in Campo. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 4 San Martino in Campo. Excursion to Perugia

A short drive brings you to Perugia, capital of Umbria and an important university town. A guided walking tour features the PIAZZA IV NOVEMBRE, one of the grandest squares in Italy, graced by the Fontana Maggiore (Great Fountain). Admire the gothic cathedral, the Galleria Nazionale dell’Umbria, and Perugia’s stunning medieval municipal palace. Then, a special treat: [Lark Tours Local Favorite] [Globus Local Favorite] visit the original PERUGINA BACI CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and taste Italy’s most delectable candy. An optional dinner outing to Deruta is available. (Breakfast)

DAY 5 San Martino in Campo–Cortona–Siena

Enter Tuscany and stop in the town of Cortona, made famous by the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. Arrive in Siena, and follow your Local Guide on a walk through ancient, narrow lanes to PIAZZA DEL CAMPO. Hear about the biannual Palio, Siena’s spectacular medieval-style horse race that is held on this square. This evening, an optional dinner excursion to Monteriggioni is available. (Breakfast)

DAY 6 Siena. Excursion to Volterra & San Gimignano

A scenic day starts with a visit to the town of Volterra, an important Etruscan center. Next is San Gimignano, the most picturesque of Italy’s perfectly preserved medieval towns. Return to Siena. An optional excursion to Asciano to visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, followed by dinner, is available to make the most of your stay. (Breakfast)

DAY 7 Siena–Pienza–Montalcino-Orvieto

Famous for pecorino cheese, Pienza has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to a member of the Piccolomini family who became Pope Pius II in the 15th century and redesigned the town in perfect renaissance style. Continue to Montalcino, beautifully located in the Tuscan Hills, and [Lark Tours Local Favorite] enjoy a Brunello WINE TASTING, followed by lunch with local specialties. Next, on to Orvieto, perched high atop a volcanic rock, where a unique visit to the ETRUSCAN UNDERGROUND Labirinto (labyrinth) awaits you. This evening, an exclusive dinner has been prepared for you by the famous Italian cook, Maurizio. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

DAY 8 Orvieto–Rome

Hear the history of this fascinating town from your Local Guide during a pleasant walk through the narrow lanes and visit the CATHEDRAL with its San Brizio Chapel. Return to the “Eternal City” for a drive past Rome’s main highlights, ending at ST. PETER’S SQUARE. This evening, a special farewell dinner with wine and opera entertainment at Tanagra restaurant awaits you to celebrate the success of your vacation in Umbria and Tuscany. (Breakfast, Dinner)

DAY 9 Rome

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)

Transportation

Motorcoach. Free Wi-Fi available on your motorcoach and in most hotel lobbies.

The name of this Italy tour—Gems of Umbria & Tuscany—says it all, as you’ll visit some of the medieval hill towns and see some of the beautiful gems that call central Italy home. You’ll begin and end in Rome, and in between you’ll overnight in Spoleto, San Martino in Campo, Siena, and Orvieto.

History fans will be thrilled throughout this Umbria and Tuscany tour. As you travel through the towns in these regions, you’ll learn about the Etruscans, who lived here for centuries before the Roman Empire, and you’ll see remains from periods throughout Italy’s history, including medieval times. Orvieto sits atop a volcanic rock and has a labyrinth of caves carved by Etruscans. You’ll visit these caves as well as Orvieto’s cathedral, dating back to the early 14th century. In Siena, one of Italy's best-preserved medieval towns, you’ll walk through its Piazza del Campo, perhaps one of the finest piazzas in Europe. From Siena, you'll also take an excursion to Volterra, an important Etruscan city, and San Gimignano, a picturesque, perfectly preserved medieval town with its 14 towers from the 13th century. In Narni, a guided visit of the Convent of San Domenico basement reveals a cell where prisoners of the Inquisition wrote graffiti on the walls.

Of course, these regions are known not only for history, but also for wine and olive oil. That’s why we’ve arranged a Brunello wine tasting in Montalcino, beautifully located in the Tuscan Hills, and an olive oil tasting at an authentic mill in Frantoio di Spello—just two of the unique experiences offered by Lark Tours and our Globus Partners! From the historic gems and the wonderful piazzas to the special adventures, this Umbria and Tuscany tour offers all of this and much more. A vacation of a lifetime!